Retrievable apparatus



1963 A. J. ROSSI ETAL 3,076,982

RETRIEVABLE APPARATUS Filed July 15, 1961 VENTORS ALFRE SSI FRANK C.MORE y HENRY N Y ATTORNEYS Unite tates lid The invention describedherein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of theUnited States of America for governmental purposes without the paymentof any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to a retrievable apparatus and moreparticularly to a target attached to a payload, the target presenting aneasily connectable opening for a hook trailing from an airborne vehicle.

in the past devices used for retrieving a payload have been inelficientin their operation, bulky and inept to package within a small space. Onedevice which has been used as a retrievable target for recovery of apayload has been a helium-filled balloon which is connected to thepayload by a recovery cable, the recovery cable having at its upper enda plurality of hooks. This sort of a device is retrieved by a trapezebar trailing from an aircraft, the trapeze bar engaging the recoverycable and breaking so as to slip a line from the aircraft into thehooks. This method of recovery presents a problem in that the trailingtrapeze bar is not aerodynamically stable, thus making it diflicult toguide it directly toward the retrievable target. Further, the heliumballoon must be of such a size so as to support the recovery cable andhooks thus requiring a gas tank of considerable volume and weight toinflate the balloon upon reaching the earths surface. The presentinvention overcomes these problems by providing a retrievable targetwhich requires a relatively small pressurized air container forinflation and at the same time, after inflation, presents an easilyconnectable target, thus enabling a hook type of retrieving device to beemployed from a retrieving aircraft.

An object of the present invention is to provide a retrievable apparatuswhich is easily connectable with a retrieving device.

Another object is to provide a retrievable device which can be packagedinto a relatively small space.

A further object of the invention is to provide a retrievable apparatuswhich will orient itself with respect to the wind when placed in a bodyof water.

Still another object is to provide an inflatable retrievable targetconnected to a payload which can be easily retrieved by a hook trailingfrom an aircraft.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention maybe readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which like referencenumerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof andwherein:

PEG. 1 is a side view of the payload including the deflated retrievableapparatus, shown first in a bullet-like dropping and then in a droppingby parachute;

2 shows a perspective view of the payload including the retrievableapparatus after it has fallen into the water and shed the parachuterigging;

PEG. 3 is a perspective view of an aircraft and the payload with theretrievable apparatus in its inflated position;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of an aircraft retrieving the payload bypassing a trailing hook through the retrievable target;

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken through the central axis ofthe payload along wifli the supporting retrievable apparatus; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line Vi- VI of FIG. 5.

eferring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designatelike or corresponding parts throughout the several views there is shownin FIGS. 3 and 5 a target it? which is attached to a payload 12, thetarget including a flexible carrying line 13 and an inflatable taperedtorus 14 which forms the lines 13 into a toroid. The flexible line 13 ispreferably nylon cord which has ends fixedly attached to an upper plate1.8 of the payload by rotatable cylinders 20. The means of fixing eachend of the line 13 into the cylinders 24} may be by any suitable meanssuch as bonding the ends within the cylinders by an epoxy. The cylinders20 are rotatable on the plate 18 about rivet pins 22 which pass throughthe cylinders and the plate iii.

The torus 14 is maintained in an upright position within a body of waterby an inflatable annular tube 24 which lies flat in the water and isconnected to the torus at diametric locations by any suitable means suchas vulcanizing, sewing, fianging or bolting, the particular meansemployed depending upon the type of material used for the annular tube24 and the torus 1 5-. The inner spaces of the annular tube 24 and thetorus 14 communicate with one another as shown in PEG. 5 so that uponinflating either one of these elements the other will be correspondinglyinflated.

The line 13 is disposed within a pouch 28 which follows around theoutside periphery of the torus 14 so as to form the line 13 into theshape assumed by the torus upon inflation. The pouch 2%? may be integralwith the torus 14 or may be attached thereto by such methods as bonding,vulcanizing or sewing.

The target 19 supports the payload 12 by an annular rim 3b which restsaround the top of the annular tube 24 and which is integral with anouter casing .32 of the payload. The annular rim 30 has two openings 34which are of a sufiicient size so as to allow the flexible line 13 topass therethrough and attach to the upper plate 18.

As shown in FIG. 4 an aircraft is trailing a 3-prong hook 33 by a cable35, the hook being such that it can be turned in any direction and stillhave a prong facing in a substantially forward position with respect tothe aircraft.

The volume of the annular tube 24 upon inflation is to be such as tofloat the entire apparatus including the payload in the water. If thepayload has sufficient buoyancy of itself, then, of course, the volumeof the annular tube becomes immaterial. By disposing the annular tubeflat in the water as shown in FIG. 3, good stability is provided to theoverall assembly when it is in its operational position in the water.This stability is increased by tapering the torus 14 toward its top endso that the weight of the torus is more concentrated at its lower endnear the water and wind loading is relatively lessened toward the topend.

In the preferred embodiment the torus 14 is made of polyethylene plasticapproximately .005 inch thick covered with mylar approximately .0005inch thick. Also, in the preferred embodiment the annular tube 24 ismade of a thin durable material such as that described for the torus orit can be made from a nylon impregnated with rubber. The mylar has goodradar reflectivity and visibility allowing a pilot to easily locate thepayload.

In the operation of the device the payload including the retrievabletarget are dropped from above the earth, first in a bullet-like fashionand then parachuted until it comes in contact with the surface of theearth. Upon reaching the earths surface a pressure source (not shown) orsea water switch (not shown) is actuated to inflate the annular tube 24and the torus 14. Upon inflation of the torus 14 the line 13 is formedby the torus into a toroid, this toroid presenting an opening forreceiving the trailing book 33 of the aircraft. Of great importance tothe retrieving operation "the torus 14 will orient itself with respectto the wind. When the target and the payload 12 are disposed in a bodyof water the torus 14 will align itself with the direction of the windso that the wind passes directly therethrough. Should the torus beinitial- .ly disposed so that it is atan angle with respect to thedirection of the Wind,-the forces of the wind will align .the loop sothat the wind is blowing in a direction perpendicular to the face of thetorus. This imparts a rotational stability to the target 10 whichgreatly enhances the efliciency of connecting the hook 33 with thepayload -12. Of course, if there is no wind the torus will remainsubstantially in its original position after inflation. The pilot of theaircraft, during a retrieving operation, will normally fly in alow-altitude position and he will trail the hook 33 so that itisdirected within the opening of the torus 14. In mostinstancesthe cable35 will first drag a short distance along the line 13 breakingthetorusafter which the hook Willgrab the line' 13 and take the payload in tow.Upon the book 33 grabbing the line 13 .the payload is lifted by the lineout of the water and is -then carried by the aircraft after which theaircraft can bring the payload within its confines by reeling in thecable 35 and the line 13, or as alternatives the entire apparatusincluding the payload can be parachuted to land or dropped with abuoyancy bag near a ship.

While in the preferred embodiment the retrievable device is employed ina body of water it is to be understood that it can be used at a landlocation in a similar manner. For land use, the torus 14'would assume anupright position as shown in FIG. 3 and the retrieving operation wouldbe the same as just described.

It is now readily apparent that the retrievable apparatus provides asimple and efficient device for connection with a trailing hook from anairborne vehicle. The apparatus is simple requiring a relatively smallpressurized air container for inflation and is of such a constructionthat it vcan be packaged into a relatively small space along with apayload. It has good stability in the water and is of .such a shape thatit will orient itself with respect to the wind so that a pilot. can moreeasily connect the trailing .hook with the sought-for payload. Further,it has good .radar reflectivity and visibility so that the pilot caneasily .locate the payload.

-Obviously many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in light of the above teach- .ings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that, withinthe -scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

We claim: 1. A device for'use in recovery of an object froma body ofwater by an airborne vehicle wherein the combination of the object andthe device are floatable in the Water, said device comprising a loopcapable of being inflated to present a substantial opening, meansattaching the loop to the object with the object located outside theloop so that a substantial portion of the loop is left open and meansfor positioning the loop upright out of the water when the loop isinflated whereby upon floating the device and the object in the waterwith the loop inflated said loop provides an easily connectable targetwith a trailing book from the airborne vehicle.

2. A device for use in recovery of a payload from a body of water by anairborne vehicle wherein the com bination of the payload and the deviceare floatable in the water, said device comprising elongate flexiblemeans having ends attached to the payload for carrying said payload,inflatable means substantially in juxtaposition with the carrying meansfor forming at least aportionof the carrying means into a loop having asubstantial-opening and means for positioning the carrying means and theforming means upright out of the water whereby upon floating the deviceand the payload inthe water with the forming means infiated' thelooped-carrying means provides an easily conectable target with atrailing hook from the airborne vehicle.

3. A- device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the forming means in itsupright inflated position has a top end and a bottom end, and thecross-section of said forming means is gradually tapered toward the topend whereby additional stability is imparted to the device.

the annular tube upon inflation forming an opening and 'means forsupporting said payload within the latter opening.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 wherein the forming means and theannular tube have inflatable spaces communicating with one anotherwhereby the forming means and the annular tube will inflate togetherupon introducing a fluid under pressure into either one.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSSchultz Sept. 14, 1948 Cotton Jan. 22, 1957

1. A DEVICE FOR USE IN RECOVERY OF AN OBJECT FROM A BODY OF WATER BY ANAIRBORNE VEHICLE WHEREIN THE COMBINATION OF THE OBJECT AND THE DEVICEARE FLOATABLE IN THE WATER, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A LOOP CAPABLE OFBEING INFLATED TO PRESENT A SUBSTANTIAL OPENING, MEANS ATTACHING THELOOP TO THE OBJECT WITH THE OBJECT LOCATED OUTSIDE THE LOOP SO THAT ASUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE LOOP IS LEFT OPEN AND MEANS FOR POSITIONINGTHE LOOP UPRIGHT OUT OF THE WATER WHEN THE LOOP IS INFLATED WHEREBY UPONFLOATING THE DEVICE AND THE OBJECT IN THE WATER WITH THE LOOP INFLATEDSAID LOOP PROVIDES AN EASILY CONNECTABLE TARGET WITH A TRAILING HOOKFROM THE AIRBORNE VEHICLE.